Electric battery.



P.'A. EMANUEL. ELECTRIC BATTERY. APPL|CAT|0N FILED NOV. 5, 1915.

Patented July 11, 1916.

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P. A. EMANUEL.

ELECTRIC BATTERY.

APPLICATION FILED NOV- 5. 1915 3 SHEETSSHEET'2.

Patented July 11, 1916.

P. A. EMANUEL.

ELECTRIC BATTERY. APPLICATION FILED NOV. 5. 1915.

Patented July 11, 1916.

a SHEETS-SHE 3.

PHILIP A. EMANUEL, OF AIKEN", SOUTI-I CAROLINA.

ELECTRIC BATTERY.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 11, 1916.

Application filed November 5, 1915. Serial No. 59,838.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, PHILIP A. EMANUEL. a citizen of the United States, residing at Aiken, in the county of Aiken and State of South Carolina, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Electric Batteries; and I do hereby declare' the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same. 1

The present invention relates to electric batteries, prior Patent No. 615,539, granted December (3, 1898, and entitled Electric battery, over which the present device is an improvement. 7 Among a number of'objects,fwh1ch will readily suggest themselves to those skilled in the art, the present invention proposes to provide an electric battery or cell wh ch will yield a substantially constant current-w thout that rapidly diminishing intensity common to present types of batteries. The invention further aims to remove the zinc sulfate or other salt periodically as the same is formed, and which has been found objectionable as congesting the cell and terfering with the action therein; the zinc sulfate or other salt being carried off by water which is formed at the positive'plate union of the freed hydrogen with the oxygen of a depolarizenand which maintains the positive plate clear; said action of the cell reducing the local action set up by impurities in the zinc electrode.

It is the purpose and intention of my present invention to provide an improved cell in which the above objections will not prevail.

generation after the electrolyte has become converted and the negative electrode considerably decomposed.

With these and other ob ects in view the invention consists in the novel details of construction and combinations of parts more fully hereinafter disclosed and particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawlngs forming a part of this application, and in which similar reference symbols indicate corresponding parts in the several views: Figure 1 is reference being had herein to my and which shall be capable of rea side elevational view of an improved electric battery constructed in accordance with the present invention. Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the'same. Fig. 3 isa transverse sectional-view taken on the line 3 -3 in Fig. 5, and with the support removed. Fig. 4 is a vertical sectional view of one form ofthe invention, and in position for operation. Fig. 5 is 'a similar view illustrating the device as inverted for regeneration. Fig. 6 is a vertical sectional view of a slightly modified form oftheinventionyand Fig. 7 isa similar view in the inverted position'for regeneration.

Referring more particularly to' the device shown ln-Figs. 1.to 5 of thedrawings, 1 and '2 designate respectively, the positive and negative electrodes, which may be ofanyof the materials necessary to constitute a voltaic couple and for purposes of description the same willbe. referred to as copper and zinc. The positive electrodell is preferably a relatively thin .disk which is platinized and separated from the negative elec-' trode 2 by a porous disk 3.

The negative electrode 2 and porousdisk 3 are similar to the corresponding elements] 1n my prior patent above, the electrode being traversed by a central duct 4t, in alinement with a perforation in the positive electrode 1'; and the porous disk 3 is formed with beads 5 and 6 on its upper and'lower faces, which are glazed or otherwisetreated to prevent the passage of the electrolyte through the porous disk at this point.

The electrodes 1 and 2,'to-gether with the porous disk 3, are fitted in a jar or con tainer 7, which is advantageously of guttapercha,;or other suitable insulating mate rial. lVhile the container 7 may be of any shape found desirable or necessary.-the same is preferably of the cylindrical form shown in the drawings, with the enlarged bore at either. end threaded, a) receive inclosing heads 8 and 9. The inclosi'ngheads 8 and 9 are flush with the ends of the container 7, and are confined in place and the device bound together by metallic cap plates lOand 11 embracing the ends of the container, and formed with collars'12. and 13 surroundingv flanges 14: and 15 on the heads 8 and 9. i

The container 7 is encircled centrally by a dividing ring 16 provided with trunnions fitted in hearings on the upper ends of standards or supports 17 and 18 on a base 19, for mounting the battery to swing to in erted position as hereinafter more fully described.

The positive electrode 1 is connected in the external circuit by a tubular pole-piece 20, passing through the head 8 and flange 14, and insulated from the adjacent cap plate 10. Similarly, the negative electrode 2 is connected in the external circuit by means of a tubular pole-piece 21, passing through the opposite head 9 and flange 15, which insulate the same from the cap plate 11. The pole-pieces 20 and 21 are provided with flanges for engagement by similar flanges on valve casings 22 and 23, the same being connected in turn to pairs of receptacles 24, 25 and 26,27.

The upper receptacles or vessels 24 and 25 are connected together through a valve casing 28, and the upper vessel 25 is provided with a similar valve casing 29 for controlling admission of fluid thereto, as will be presently explained, Valve casings 30 and 31 are similarly arranged in connection with the vessels 26 and 27 mounted at the lower end of the battery. Leads 32 and 33 are secured to binding posts associated with the flanges of the pole-pieces, and are connected to provide an external circuit in a well known manner.

In the operation of the improved battery as above described, the container 7 is in the upright positionillustrated in 'Fig. 4, the vessel 24- having been previously charged with an electrolyte of any suitable character, for instance, dilute sulfuric acid, and the remaining receptacles 25, 26 and 27 with a depolarizer, such as gaseous oxygen, nitric acid, or depolarizer which will not chemically combine with sulfuric acid under ordinary temperatures. The depolarizer in the vessel 25 is under pressure, while that in the vessels 26 and 27 is not necessarily so. It will be understood that the electrolyte may be introduced into the vessel 24 by opening both valves 28 and 29 and pouring the same in through the vessel 25; the valve 22, leading to the battery, being of course, closed. After the electrolyte has been thus introduced, the valve 28 is closed, and oxygen under pressure is admitted through the valve 29 into the receptacle 25, whereupon said valve is closed. In a similar manner the vessels 26 and 27 on the lower end of the battery, may be charged with a depolarizer by manipulation of the valves 30 and 31, and it will be remembered that the depolarizer in these receptacles need not be under pressure.

To start the battery into operation, referring now still to F 1g. 4 of the drawings,

the valve 22 is opened to the required degree to permit the electrolyte from the vessel 24 to descend through the tubular pole-piece 20 and into contact with the upper glazed bead 6 on the porous disk 3, which intercepts its passage and diverts the same into contact with the lower face of the platinized positive electrode 1. Simultaneous with this action, the gaseous oxygen, or other depolarizer in the receptacle 25, is admitted to the lower vessel 2 by opening the valve 28, and such depolarizer, which is under pressure, operates to force the electroly e down into the battery and into active contact with the electrodes. The depolarizer thus be comes mixed throughout the electrolyte and provides for a forced circulation thereof throughout the battery, placing said electrolyte under pressure, and thereby insuring improved galvanic action, productive of in creased voltage.

It will be understood, by reference more particularly to my above-mentioned prior patent, that the electrolyte passes through the porous disk 3 from the under face of the electrode 1, and down into contact with the upper face of the negative electrode 2. The zinc sulfate, or other salt, produced by the electrolyte action in the cell, accumulates about the negative electrode, and has been found to seriously interferewith the progress of the action; while the hydrogen evolved seeks the positive plate and collects, with the consequent disadvantages of polarization. This hydrogen collected about the positive plate 1 is, however, removed, to gether with its attendant disadvantages, by the depolarizer, which unites with the same to form water; and this water floods the cell and carries off the zinc sulfate or other salt which tends to accumulate about the negative electrode and clog the battery. The Zinc sulfate or salt in solution is thus removed through the channel 4 in the negative electrode 3, and descends therethrough under the influence of gravity and the pre sure imposed by the depolarizer in the ressel 25, through the tubular pole-piece 21, past the valve 23, which is subsequentlv opened for this purpose, and into the receptacle 26 which contains a depolarizer, as above stated. The entrance of the salt so lution to the tank 26 displaces the depolarizer and causes the same to ascend into the cell, where it assists-the action of the depolarizer from the vessel 25. If desired, the valve 30 may also be opened, and the zinc sulfate which is of relatively great specific gravity, may descend directly into the lowermost vessel 27, and displace the depolarizer. therefrom and from the vessel 26, as just described. The zinc sulfate will, therefore, be collected in the vessel 27 and the depolarizer gradually expelled therethrough and compelled to enter the cell The above is substantially the operation of the improved cell, and this action is continued until the electrolyte has become exhausted from the vessel 24, and has become decomposed in the cell into the salt and wa- I ter and removed to the receptacle 27.

To regenerate the cell, the container or jar 7 carrying the various parts therewith is revolved on the trunnions in the supports 17 and 18 to bring the same to the inverted position disclosed in Fig. 5. When in this position, the valve 30 is opened to permit the zinc sulfate or other salt in solution to descend into the vessel 26, the valve 23 being initially closed. Thereupon the tank 27 is charged with hydrogen under pressure through the valve 31; and the tanks 24 and 25 are also suppliedthrough their respective valves with hydrogen which may be under pressure, but which is not necessarily so. After the vessels have been so charged, and the leads 32 and 33 connected with a source of current, the .valves 23 and 30 are opened and the salt permitted to descend through the pole-piece 21 into the battery, the same being driven before the compressed hydrogen in the receptacle 27 which thereby becomes occluded therein. The valves 22 and 28 are also opened, either immediately or o-nly after the decomposition of the salt has been going on for some time, and the hydrogen in the vessels 24 and 25 permitted to ascend through the tubular pole-piece 20 and into contact with the porous disk 3 and positive plate 1 within the cell. As the Zinc sulfate or the electrodes, the current introduced through the leads 32 and 33 will decompose the same, the zinc being dissociated from the SO radical and becoming plated on the negative electrode 2. The radical will seek the positive plate 1, and will be there united' with the hydrogen from'the' vessel 27 and also with'that from the receptacles 24 and 25. This latter formation will restore the sulfuric acid which will descend through the tubular pole-piece 20 and into the receptacles 24 and 25, automatically displacing the hydrogen therein'and causing it to ascend and assist in the further recovery of the acid. lVhen the regenerating operation has been completed, the cell is again revolved about its supporting members 17 and 18, and brought to the initial upright position illustrated in Fig. 4. Here the recovered acid is transferred from the receptacle .25, where the same has been collected, and to receptacle 24, and the vessels 25, 26 and 27 are again charged withoxygen or other depolarizer in readiness .for the subsequent.

operation of thebattery. It will, of course, be understood that additional electrolyte tricity other salt .is circulated between will be added from time to time to replenish the amount necessarily lost in operation, and

as it becomes necessary, the electrodes 1 and 2 can be renewed by removing the heads 8 or 9 of the container 7 in an obvious manner.

Referring now more particularly to Figs. 6 and 7, I have here disclosed an improved construction and arrangement of the electrodes and container, the latter consisting of a gutta-percha cylinder 34' threaded :at its ends to receive inclo-sing heads 35 and 36'. VVithin-the casing 34 is snugly fitted acupshaped positive electrode 37 inclosed at its upper end by a cap 38, and containing the negative electrode 39 fitted within a porous cup 40, which separates said electrodes. The negative electrode 39 is ,inclosed in the porous cup 40 by a disk 41 of insulating material, having a neck 42 extending through the cap 38 and head 35 for insulating the negative pole-piece 43 contained therein. The negative pole-piece 43 is constructed the other form of my invention, into the cell.

The pole-piece 43 extends'into the negative electrode 39, which is traversed by ducts 44 -and 45 leading to'the upper end of the porous cup 40, and delivering the electrolyte and 'depolarizer thereto in a manner which will now be well understood.

The positive electrode 37 is connected at one end of the battery by'a tubularpOlepiece 46, and said p'ole pieces' 46 and 43 are connected by leads 32 and 33 for connection to include any appliancein circuit upon which it may be desired to furnish elecfrom the battery or said leads may connect with a source of current when the batteryvis to be regenerated' The positive pole-piece 46 is connected to a valve casing 22, which is in turn connected to a receptacle 2,4,'the latter during the operation of the battery, as shown inFig. 6, being adapted to contain anselectrolyte such, for instance, as dilutesulfuric acid. To'the opposite endof the receptacle 24 is a valve casing 28, similar to 22 above described, and at the opposite end of said valve casing is to contain a depolarizer, such, for instance,

as gaseous oxygen under pressure, in a manner similar tothat described in connection with the receptacle 25 in that form of the device shown in Fig. 4. The negative polepiece 43 is. similarly connected to a valve casing 23, coupled at its opposite end to a receptacle 26. 130 is avalve'casing connecting the receptacle 26 with a similar receptacle 27, and31 is a valve controlling admission to the receptacle 27 The recep tacles 26 and '27 are'arranged to receive adepolarlzer such, for instance, as gaseous oxygen, and this depolarlzer may be contained in such receptacles under pressure or not, as may be desirable.

In operation, referring to Fig. 6, the receptacle 24 having been charged with the electrolyte and the several remaining receptacles with a depolarizer, the valves 22 and 28are thereupon opened to permit the electrolyte to descend through the polepiece 46 and into the battery, where it encounters the porous cup 40 and is deflected thereby along and into intimate contact with the interior Wall of the positive cup-shaped electrode 37 and thence seeks a passage through said porous cup and into active engagement with the adjacent faces of the negative electrode 39. The electrolyte will thus descend by gravity, aided by the depolarizer under pressure in the receptacle 25, and will be circulated throughout the cell and will undergo electrolytic action under pressure, decomposing into hydrogen which will seek the positive electrode and radical,- SO which will be collected on the negative electrode; such electrolytic action generating a current which may be taken off through the leads 32 and 33. The hydrogen collected at the positive plate and .nding to polarize same, -will be met by oxygen from the receptacle 25, and the same will unite to form water which will relieve the positive plate of such polarization. This action is permitted to continue until a decrease in the intensity of the current in the external circuit is felt, when the valve 23, or both said valve and the valve 30, may be opened to permit the water and congested salt in the cell to be removed through the ducts 44, 45, and through the negative polepiece 43 into the receptacles '26 and 27, where said water and salt will displace the depolarizer therein, causing the same to ascend into the cell where it will assist the depolarizer from the tank 25. After the pressure within the cell has been thus, to some extent, relieved, and the ac cumulated matter removed, the depolarizer from the tank 24 will be again free to circulate throughout the battery, and it will be found that the external circuit will immediately pick up; and if desired, the valve 23 may be then closed until the weakening of the external circuit is again felt. This action is continued with until the electrolyte and depolarizer have become exhausted, when the device will be revolved from the position shown in Fig. 6 to that shown in Q. 7, and the operation of regeneration accomplished.

For regenerating the battery receptacle 26is charged with salt, such as Zinc sulfate formed during the operation of the battery, when in the position shown in Fig. 6, and the remaining receptacles 27, 24 and 25 are charged with gaseous hydrogen, that in the receptacle 27 being preferably under pressure. The leads 32 and 33 are connected to an external source of current, and the valve 23 opened to permit the salt to descend through the pole-piece 4.2, duets 44 and 45, and into the space between the electrodes. This action will be assisted by the hydrogen under pressure by opening the valve and the salt will become decomposed, due to the passage of the electric current, the Zinc becoming plated on the outer faces of the negative electrode 39, while radical SO, will seek the positive electrode 37, where it will combine with the hydrogen from the receptacle 27 forming sulfuric acid.

From time to time the valve 22 may be opened and the pressure slightly relieved from the cell, permitting the sulfuric acid to descend within the receptacles 24 and 25, thus displacing the hydrogen therein, which. will be compelled to ascend within the cell. and add its assistance to that of the hydrogen from the receptacle 27. This action is continued until the salt is exhausted from the receptacle 26, and the device may be revolved about its support to the position shown in Fig. 6. and the recovered acid col- .lected in the receptacle 24?, and after charging the several other receptacles with oxygen the operation of the battery may be sub- Y sequently carried on.

By the improved arrangement shown in these last-named figures of the drawings, an increased surface area is exposed between the positive and negative electrodes, and a better action is insured, productive of improved results. It will be appreciated that, in addition to the voltage produced by the chemical dissociation of the electrolyte, a

reduction in counter electro-motive force is secured by the combination of the depolarizer with the free hydrogen at the positive plate.

It is obvious that those skilled in the art may vary the details of construction and arrangements of parts without departing from the spirit of my invention, and therefore I do not wish to be limited to such features except as may be required by the claims.

I claim:

1. A battery including a couple, an electrolyte, adepolarizer under pressure in communication to force the electrolyte through the battery, means for collecting the salt produced in the battery, and an additional depolarizer automatically supplied to the battery by the action'of the removed salt, substantially as described.

2. An electric battery including positive and negative electrodes, communicating vessels in connection with the battery through each of said electrodes, an electrolyte in one of the vessels connected to the positive electrode, a depolarizer in thecompanion vessel for mixture in said electrolyte, and a depolarizer in the vessels connected to said negative electrode, substantially as described.

3. An electric battery including positive and negative electrodes, communicating vessels in connection with the battery through each of said electrodes, an electrolyte in one of the vessels connected to said positive electrode, a depolarizer under pressure in the companion vessel for mixture in said electrolyte and for circulating the latter through the battery, and an additional depolarizer'in the vessels connected to said negative electrode, substantially as described.

4. In an electric battery, the combination ofa pair ofelectrodes, communicating vessels connected at one end of the battery, an electrolyte in the lower vessel, a depolarizer in the upper vessel for mixture in the elec' trolyte, communicating vessels connected at the other end of said battery, for receiving the salt produced in the battery, and a depolarizer in said last-named vessels for displacement and delivery to the battery by the entrance of the removed salt, substantially as described.

5. In an electric battery, the combination of a pair of electrodes, porous means separating said electrodes, communicating vessels connected to the battery'through one electrode, an electrolyte in one of said vessels for delivery to the battery, a depolarizer under pressure in another of said vessels for mixture in the electrolyte and for forcing the same to circulate throughout the battery, valve means for controlling communication between said vessels and the battery, other vessels connected to the battery through the opposite electrode for receiving the salt produced in the battery, a depolarizer in said last-named vessels for displacement and delivery to the battery by action of the removed salt, and valve means for controlling passage between said last-named vessels and the battery, substantially asde scribed.

6. In an improved electric battery, the combination of a jar mounted for inversion, electrodes in said jar, vessels connected above and below the battery for initially containing an electrolyte and depolarizer for delivery to operate the battery, and arranged to contain hydrogen and a salt for regeneration of the battery when the same is inverted, substantially as described.

7 In an electric battery, the combination of a jar pivotally mounted for inversion, I

electrodes in said jar, porous means separating said electrodes, vessels connected above and below said battery for initially containing an electrolyte and depolarizer for delivery to operate the battery, and for containing hydrogen and salt when the battery is inverted for regeneration, and valve means for controlling passage between said vessels and the battery, substantially as described.

stantially as described.

9. In an electric battery, the combination of an exterior container, a cup-shaped posi-:

tive electrode fitted within said container, a porous cup mounted within said positive electrode, a solid negative electrode fitted within said porous cup and having a plurality of ducts therein, a hollow pole-piece connected to said negative electrode and in communication with the ducts therein, receptacles connected to said hollow pole-piece for containing a depolarizer, a hollow pole-piece connected to the positive electrode, and receptacles connected to said hollow pole-piece for containing an electrolyte and a depolarizer under pressure, substantially as described. 1

10. In an electric battery, the combination of a support,a container mounted to revolve on said support to bring the same to upright or inverted positions, a cup-shaped positive electrode fitted within said container, a porous cup mounted within said positive electrode, a solid negative electrode fitted within said porous cup and having a plurality of lateral ducts therein, a hollow pole-piece connected to said negative electrode and in communication with the ducts therein, a pair of receptacles connected to said hollow poledepolarizer under pressure when the battery is in the upright position and hydrogen when the battery is inverted, and valve means between said last-named vessels and for controlling the admission of fluid to the interior of the battery, substantially as described.

11. In an electric battery, the combination of a container, a cup-shaped positive electrode fitted within said container, a cupshaped porous filling mounted within said positive electrode, a negative. electrode within said porous filling, tubular pole-pieces connected to said positive and negative electrodes and extending beyond said container,

communicating vessels connected to the outer ends of each of said tubular pole-pieces and containing one vessel an electrolyte, and the remaining vessels a depolarizer, and means for controlling communication between the companion vessels and the interior of the battery, substantially as described.

12. In an improved battery of the character described, the combination of a support, a container pivoted to revolve on said support to bring the battery to upright or inverted position, electrodes in said container, tubular pole-pieces connected to said electrodes and extending from opposite ends of the container, a pair of communicating vessels connected to the outer end of the positive pole-piece and adapted to contain an electrolyte and a depolarizer under pressure When the battery is in the upright position and hydrogen When the battery is in inverted position, and a pair of communicating vessels connected to the negative pole-piece for containing a depolarizer When the battery is in the upright position and a salt and hydrogen When the battery is inverted, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

PHILIP A. EMANUEL.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the fCommissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G. 

